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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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Louise Nicholas has
broken down in court as she described how former policeman Brad Shipton
allegedly sexually assaulted her with a police baton. Mrs Nicholas has begun
giving evidence at the trial of Assistant Police Commissioner Clint Rickards,
and his former police colleagues, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum, on the
historical sex abuse charges. Dressed in a grey suit
jacket and black trousers, Mrs Nicholas has begun what will be a lengthy
period of giving evidence. Louise Nicholas says it
was like 'swapsies' when Rickards and Shipton would visit her house for sex.
She says in late 1985 when she was 18, Rickards and Shipton arrived at her
flat uninvited up to a dozen times. She says their sole
purpose was to take turns having intercourse and oral sex with her, despite
her repeatedly telling them she did not want it and she did not want them
there. Mrs Nicholas described
one occasion, when Shipton had a dirty smirk on his face as he came towards
her with the baton in the bedroom of a Rotorua police house. Mrs Nicholas says she
thought her ordeal that day was over, then she looked up and saw Shipton with
the baton. She says she tried to
back away from him, swearing and telling him there was no way he was going to
use "that thing" on her. It is likely to be a
day or two before the defence gets a chance to cross-examine the witness. |
